ONS Data Collection Method May Be Distorting Reports, FT Says

May 9 (Bloomberg) -- The U.K.’s Office for National
Statistics is examining the way it collects information about
the construction industry to see whether a change in its
methodology has skewed reported levels of activity, the
Financial Times reported, without attribution.

Gross domestic product was likely to have been stronger in
the first quarter of 2011 and weaker at the end of 2010 than
reported, the FT said.

Travis Perkins Plc, Kier Group Plc, Tarmac and McLaren
Construction are among companies concerned about the data
gathering, the newspaper reported.

The ONS has “no reason at present to believe the
construction series is giving a distorted picture,” Joe Grice,
ONS chief economist said, the FT reported.